ShopSabre IS-M 408
Image: shopsabre.com, ShopSabre
Key Specifications
Rapid Traverse
Repeatability
machine dimensions
cutting area
z clearance
z axis travel
How much does the ShopSabre IS-M 408 cost?
Price estimate
We do not have a price for the ShopSabre IS-M 408 that we can stand behind, so we show no number. Configuration, options and installation move the final price a long way: a quote is the reliable figure.
Overview
The ShopSabre IS-M 408 is a 4x8 ball screw router run by a Mitsubishi M80 control, the feature the M in its name stands for. ShopSabre presents the IS-M Series as the first CNC router fitted with a Mitsubishi M8 Series control, with fiber optic communication between controller and drives and a dedicated CNC CPU.
Why does the control matter on a router? Because nesting programs are long chains of short arcs and line segments, and how well the control looks ahead and holds feed through corners decides both cycle time and edge quality. A dedicated CNC with matched Mitsubishi 1 kW AC servo motors and amplifiers is a machine-tool approach to that problem, where the IS 408 uses a PC-based WINCNC system. Listed rapid speed and repeatability are the same on both, 2,100 ipm (53.3 m/min) and +/- 0.001 in (0.025 mm), so the gain is in how the machine behaves while cutting, which ShopSabre's table does not quantify.
The envelope is tighter than the name suggests. Cut area is 50 x 98 x 12 in (1,270 x 2,489 x 305 mm), about an inch of margin on each side of a 4x8 sheet, while the IS 408 gives 65 x 100 x 12 in. Sheets must be loaded square against the pop-up pins, and 5x5 stock will not fit. The footprint is 98 x 125 x 95 in (2,489 x 3,175 x 2,413 mm).
The packaged spindle is a 10 hp / 12 hp HSD unit with a bi-directional rotary tool changer holding 10 ISO30 tools. Z travel is 16 in (406 mm).
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Machine Dimensions | 98 x 125 x 95 in (2,489 x 3,175 x 2,413 mm) |
| Cutting Area | 50 x 98 x 12 in (1,270 x 2,489 x 305 mm) |
| Z Clearance | 12 in (305 mm) standard |
| Z Axis Travel | 16 in (406 mm) |
| Rapid Traverse Rate | 2,100 ipm (53.3 m/min) |
| Repeatability | +/- 0.001 in (0.025 mm) |
| Drive Motors | AC Servo Motors |
| Drive System | Ball Screw X, Dual Y, & Z axis |
| CNC Control | Mitsubishi M80 Control |
| Linear Guides | 25 mm linear guide rails and bearings on all axes |
| Software | Vectric VCarve PRO CAD/CAM software license |
| Dust Port | 4 in (102 mm) |
| Servo Motor Power | 1 kW (Mitsubishi AC closed-loop brushless servo motors) |
| Well Equipped Spindle | 10 hp / 12 hp (7.5 / 8.9 kW) HSD electric fan-cooled auto tool change spindle |
| Well Equipped Tool Changer | Bi-directional rotary, 10 tool positions, with 10 ISO30 tool holders and ER32 collets |
| Well Equipped Tabletop | Surfaced phenolic hi-flow vacuum-ready tabletop with 4 independently controlled zones |
Specifications sourced from shopsabre.com — verified 2026-10-05
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Mitsubishi M80 control with fiber optic communication and a dedicated CNC CPU
- Mitsubishi 1 kW AC closed-loop brushless servo motors with glass encoders and individual amplifiers
- 2,100 ipm (53.3 m/min) rapid speed with ball screws on X, dual Y and Z
- Bi-directional rotary tool changer with 10 ISO30 positions on a 10 hp / 12 hp HSD spindle
- Battery backup and a Z-axis brake with fail-safe protection in the Well Equipped package
Limitations
- 50 x 98 in (1,270 x 2,489 mm) cut area leaves very little margin around a 4x8 sheet
- Narrower cutting width than the 65 in of the IS 408, in a wider 98 in footprint
- The Well Equipped list specifies a VFD for 3-phase operation
- Tool capacity is 10 positions, against 12 on the Well Equipped IS 408
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
It refers to the Mitsubishi M8 Series controller. The IS-M 408 has a Mitsubishi M80 control with fiber optic communication and a dedicated CNC CPU, driving Mitsubishi 1 kW AC servo motors, with ShopSabre's own user interface on top for day-to-day operation.
02
No. The IS-M 408 cuts 50 x 98 x 12 in (1,270 x 2,489 x 305 mm). The IS 408 cuts 65 x 100 x 12 in. A 4x8 sheet fits the IS-M 408 with roughly an inch to spare per side, so oversize sheets and 5x5 stock belong on a different machine.
03
The Well Equipped package lists a 10 hp / 12 hp HSD electric fan-cooled spindle with a bi-directional rotary auto tool changer, 10 tool positions, 10 ISO30 tool holders and ER32 collets. Options include HSD spindles in 5 hp ISO, 10 hp ISO or 13 hp HSK.
04
ShopSabre's feature list says the HSD spindle is available for 1-phase or 3-phase operation, but the Well Equipped package specifies a VFD for 3-phase operation. Treat single-phase as something to confirm for the exact spindle and vacuum pump on your quote.
